Head doctor Giorelli from Barletta to Neurology Clinical Practice with a scientific article

Barletta is the protagonist of international medical scene thanks to the doctor Maurizio Giorellihead of neurology of Barletta. The doctor wrote a scientific article on the prevention and the treatment of Alzheimer’s dementia and how governments should organize themselves to fight and overcome them.

His contribution was published on April 12 in the magazine Neurology Clinical practiceorgan ofAmerican Academy of Neurologythe most important in the world.

Below is the interview given to the editorial staff by the head physician Giorelli.

At what speed does Italy travel compared to the rest of the world in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s?
«In the United States of America, monoclonal antibodies against beta-amyloid, the anomalous protein that accumulates in the brain of patients with Alzheimer’s dementia, have been approved as therapy. However, in all European countries, doubts about the effectiveness, safety and sustainability in terms of cost/effectiveness of these therapies have currently prevented their adoption. In terms of prevention, however, our country is at the top for adopting the right strategies since these fully reflect the prevention of cardiovascular diseases that have led our country to be one of the longest-lived in terms of the average age of the population”.

What strategies can be adopted at central level?
«The world will face a huge increase in dementia cases in the near future due to the increase in the average age of the population. Governments will have to abandon national health economic strategies to institute projects that transcend national borders and can limit the damage of new and serious risk factors such as pollution, global warming, social isolation. They will have to be established international funds that can ensure equal access to care for all patients.”

How Can prevention be done?
«Several risk factors have been identified as modifiers of both the number of years of life lost and the number of years lived with dementia. Environmental risk factors include the use of dirty and unsanitized water, air pollution, malnutrition and secondhand tobacco smoke. Personal risk factors includehigh systolic blood pressure, diabetes, a high body mass index, a high level of cholesterol in the blood, kidney disease, sexually transmitted diseases, alcohol abuse, deafness, head trauma and occupational risks. The most effective strategies for preventing dementia are to adopt one healthy lifestyle which limits the intake of fatty foods, smoking and alcohol and reduces the “waistline”. Other winning strategies consist of promoting physical exercise, treating cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes and hypertension and actively participating in social and cultural life.”

Below is the article written by Dr. Giorelli.